


Oceans Apart

by pandatowrites



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: All of them are merpeople, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, F/M, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2020-08-19 10:44:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20208457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandatowrites/pseuds/pandatowrites
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a merman called Levi. He was the offspring of Kuchel the Kind, the 23rd Queen of Eamora, one of the seven seas’ kingdoms.As he was the firstborn of the Queen, he was destined to be crowned king of Eamora.Before he could fulfill his promise on carrying on his mother's legacy, he had to find a partner, as he had to continue the royal bloodline.It seemed impossible for any merson to enchant his heart, nobody was able to make his heart skip a beat or two. Additionally, time was running out.One day, however, when Prince Levi was investigating a strange, enchanting sound, he found what he had been looking for on the surface near the shore he was told to avoid.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! Welcome to my first mer!au work!! <3
> 
> I still have to find out what to write here in the notes of the first chapter, so let's pull up the basics!!  
This fic will be multichaptered, yes. The English this story is written in is far from perfect, so please excuse the errors, I try to improve my language skills with every update.  
As you might have noticed, additional tags will be added with every update, if there is any change, so look out for that.  
There will be expressions you might not know/that aren't explained after being used, but I'll come back to them in the notes after the chapter, if they are uhh complicated? But I'll also answer questions in the comments, so no need to be shy!!
> 
> Thank you, Julie, not only for gifting me with this title. Your ideas are always amazing.
> 
> Without further ado,,,  
Enjoy!! c:

_ Once upon a time, there was a merman called Levi. He was the offspring of Kuchel the Kind, the 23rd Queen of Eamora, one of the seven seas’ kingdoms.  _

_ As he was the firstborn of the Queen’s first partner, he was destined to be crowned king of Eamora, yet not before he reached the mature age of 315 moons.  _

_ Prince Levi showed interest in various things, not only politics, economics and military, but he also found his love for his folk. His mother made sure that her son grew up to be a worthy king, introducing him to all creatures in her kingdom, whether they were rich, poor, weak, strong, unintelligent or smart. Queen Kuchel made sure that the merfolk she had responsibility for, she swore to protect and care for, led a content life. _

_ Her son promised to carry on her legacy.  _

_ Before he could fulfill his promise, however, he had to find a partner, as he had to continue the royal bloodline.  _

_ Prince Levi found no fulfilling satisfaction in courting female meople. He enjoyed their grace and their hair, the way their body looked, but that was in no way enough to make somebody his queen. The merman wanted to find the one to spend his long, long life with, and not just a partner to bear him children.  _

_ It seemed impossible for any merson to enchant his heart, especially since Prince Levi did not possess a great social skill, and neither did he know how to express his feelings quite well; an unfortunate side effect of growing up without a father, as Queen Kuchel had decided to be the only ruler of Eamora. _

_ One day, however, when Prince Levi was investigating a strange, enchanting sound, he found what he had been looking for on the surface near the shore he was told to avoid. _

  
  


-x-

  
  


_ He was holding his mother’s hand, her delicate, almost porcelain white fingers wrapping around his own. She had yet to scratch him with her claws-like fingernails. _

Levi’s first memory had been one of the many times Queen Kuchel led him outside the castle. They were swimming around at first, it was just her and her sweet, little son, no guards, no advisor, nobody else. 

He had been enjoying all of it, the way his mother would spin him around in circles or the way she would swim little races with him, only to slow down so he could reach their goal first. 

Kuchel was a great mother. 

The greatest he would ever have.

_ “Levi”, she hummed, “I want you to travel to Iquira. You haven’t been there in so long, the folk misses you. I’m sure of it.” Her black hair floated over her face, but she did not care. Kuchel loved her long hair, the way it moved in the water. It made her feel beautiful when she was not. _

How was he supposed to just travel anywhere, let alone this far, when his mother had caught a fatal illness? How could he show himself to the meople, when he did not know how to comfort them, how to comfort himself?

Petra swam next to him, her bright orange hair was cut short, right above her shoulders, to make her less resistant to the water. “We should arrive at our destiny soon. I think I might see it already, far in the distance”, she informed the prince and both of them started to dive deeper, where the East stream would not carry them anymore. 

“Have you decided on what you are going to do?”, the mermaid asked, hoping for an answer this time.    
Levi had not been talking the whole swim, he didn’t even communicate with the dolphins. No chirping, no clicking, nothing. 

“Petra. Stop. You should not lose scales over me”, he reminded her, as he did not want his guardian and companion to worry about him too much.

“It’s my duty”, she remarked, but, when Levi shot her a warning stare, quickly added, “as a friend.”

The prince let a pleased chirp escape his throat before turning his gaze away from his guardian. 

Petra’s lilac tail fin pushed her ahead while Levi followed her, watching her caudal fin dance in the water, and wondered whether he should buy her a dark purple ponjro to wrap around her upper body. 

She had forgotten hers in the castle, and he did not want her to freeze so much.

Yes, Eamoreans were used to the chill temperatures, but it was still an unpleasant sensation to be enveloped by coldness.

Levi glanced up to the surface, the sky faded from warm colors to a bright blue and dull white, the fluffy bodies were floating in the sea of endless air.

It seemed to far away, but the sun’s rays still carried their light through the water to where they swam, making his silver scales stand out between the unspectacular blue ones.

The jewelry on his body seemed to glow in the dull beam, as he was surrounded by dark water, as well; his golden tiara with the tear-shaped opal stone that hang down onto his forehead, and the long, gorgeous necklace with the crowned shell symbol. Levi’s wine red gown floated behind him, it was see-through and light, made of sensitive material the Eamoreans weaved with Atlantiqua’s Hair - a thin, delicate flower that grew on every type of ground, at every temperature and condition. 

When they reached the city, they slowed down their pace. The meople noticed them, bowing for their prince and staying silent to show their respect and devotion. 

Levi showed a slight smile of appreciation, a rare mimic. It was as fragile as an old shell, but as beautiful and graceful as a hidden pearl. 

All the while Petra swam next to him, slightly set further back, as it was not her place to swim next to a prince. They broke the rule when they were alone, as she was his friend, but in public, they were not allowed to show it. Rumors, such as “Bet he wants to breed his  _ guardian _ ”, were bad for his reputation. 

It was a rather small city, but Levi didn’t mind the size at all, he preferred them over the stressful, big ones, because these less populated ones were usually quiet at night. 

Eamori was a beautiful city and he saw it as a privilege that Goddess Atlantiqua made it their capital city, but he detested the sounds of boats. The nightlife could get really _ audible  _ as well.

Some nights he found no sleep, instead finding himself staring at the city in front of the palace. The colorful lights, the glowing fish and jellyfish, the chirping and clicking of joy and pleasure. 

The merman was not able to do much for his mother’s folk, other than being a good and genuine prince. He prepared himself for questions regarding Queen Kuchel’s condition, when Petra and Levi made their way to the town hall.

It was an old building, there were some marks and flaws, but as long as it was still serving its purpose, the city’s inhabitants didn’t mind. And Levi did not do so either. 

Yes, it would look nicer if it got taken care of properly, but right now, this was not even close to being a priority.

Levi and Petra entered, both of them gliding through the chill water, until they found the hall they were looking for, the meryoress’ office. 

“Prince Levi, welcome”, she said when she looked up from her seat and bowed down to show her respect. “Queen Kuchel informed me that you and your guardian would stay in town. We made sure that you had the best rooms in the local hotel.”

“Thank you”, the one of royal blood answered, nodding slowly while doing so. “We don’t know yet for how long we will stay, but we will inform you as soon as we decided on it.” 

The shell was handed to him, it was golden and actually a little big for a key.

“I hope you will enjoy your stay, Prince”, the meryoress said with a pleased smile, before glaring at Petra. “And you as well. You must be tired, dear.”

This time it was the guardian who thanked her before the two left the town hall again.

They looked out for the hotel, which appeared to be not far away; it was actually just a few fins away. 

“When will we be visiting the villages?”, Petra asked and Levi could tell that she was already planning which streams they should be using to travel the fastest way. 

“I thought about the day after tomorrow. We are going to travel for a flippin’ long time, the distances are not that small. Six villages. Afterwards we can stay here for a little longer together”, he said with a knowing gaze. “You should not strain your body so much, it will be Bailara soon.” 

The merman had intended to travel alone because his guardian planned on spending this year’s Bailara with her mate, Oluo, one of the castle’s many servants, who had courted her last year. 

An exhausted fin was no good for breeding, it should be soft and non-aching. But Queen Kuchel was positive that Petra would be able to successfully grow offspring with her partner either way..

Needless to say, the guardian was allowed several weeks off during Bailara, the main mating season.

Petra thought about the prince’s offer, before she agreed with a content smile and a soft purr. “I heard they practice great massages here in Iquira. That would be perfect. And maybe a seaweed treatment? No! Even a sea star one!” Everything to relax and look attractive. She wanted to please Oluo; not that any kind of treatment was needed, the merman was still head over tailfin in love with her. Additionally, Petra was already a stunning beauty. Light brown eyes accented with long, black lashes, sea peach colored hair and lilac scales; contrasts only nature could create.

Levi did not see what she saw in her partner; he was an asshole, which was quite upsetting considering he was told that this Oluo was impersonating him. Additionally, he had a lot of wrinkles and his fin looked muddy, it was a rather harsh dark green with sharp scales. 

But it were not his stormy grey eyes that had to judge the merman, it were Petra’s eyes that had to be caught up in love.

“Will you be acquiring a new gown for the speeches, Levi?”, his guardian asked with caution as they reached the hotel. “The one you’re wearing is excellent, but… would you not want one that is more suited? A deep blue?”, Petra suggested furthermore with a sad smile. 

“Why?”, the prince asked, fake oblivion tainting his voice. “To match my fin better? Or to let everybody know that my mother- their Queen will succumb to her illness?” With a growl Levi made it clear that he did in fact not want to think about leaving the gown he was currently wearing in the hotel, the very gown his mother had inherited him. 

Petra should know better, he thought, but he also knew better. She had the best intentions, always.

The apartment they were staying in was big, almost as big as a servant’s dorm in the castle. 

There was a lot of jewelry hanging off the ceiling, most of it was golden and decorated with red stones or chorals, as well as pearls; just the aesthetic the Eamoreans liked. Furthermore, the pure white shells were accented with tiny bits of coloured glass, creating a beautiful pattern, a mosaic.

The floor was not made of stone, it was actually overgrown with sea anemones in light colors, soft pinks to mouthwatering oranges. 

In the back there was a huge mirror with strange material surrounding it; something he had not seen before, but Levi had to be honest, he did not expect a hotel to own a big mirror with no flaws.

He stood out in the reflection; most of the room’s interior was coloured in warm reds while his pale skin and ashy-blue tailfin gave off a cold vibe, creating a contrast. The silver scales, scattered randomly across his fin, shone slightly in the dull light to remind him of his origin, his royal blood.

“Oh wow, Queen Kuchel did not spare a single Krella”, Petra mumbled and Levi gave a nod in agreement while whistling quietly. 

“She knew we would like this. My mother loved coming to this hotel when I was a kid. It’s… been a while. Some things changed, it seems.”

The mermaid swam around the apartment, looking for her sleeping shell, until she found it in the next room. Their rooms were seperated with a thin cloth that covered the whole, the passage connecting the bedrooms. 

Prince Levi allowed himself to rest in his own, bigger shell. There was enough space for two people. Good. He needed space and he was not planning on sharing any of it.

Petra entered the room again and sank to the bottom of it, letting herself be tickled by the sea anemones growing there, and purred, “This is amazing.”

“You should go rest”, Levi told her, before she could get too cozy and fall asleep on the floor. “Remember. Bailara is starting soon.” He was thinking about travelling without her to the villages. 

Prince Levi did, in fact, not need any help, any form of protection, as he was very well capable of fighting off enemies, whether they were of his kind or not; his toned body, the muscles told no lie about his strength. 

Additionally, he had sharp claws to work with. They cut through flesh effortlessly.

Petra snuggled deeper into the anemones. “But this is so comfy”, she whined and pouted at the merman. “My shell feels so empty without Oluo by my side.”

O good Atlantiqua, all these love-sick meople. 

“You will catch the shivers if you sleep outside the shell and I will not pull your sick flute back home”, Prince Levi snarled in a reprimanding manner, his tailfin snapping once against the soft cushion inside his shell. 

The mermaid sighed, which sounded more like a disappointed whistle. “Fine, my prince”, she started, lifted herself of the ground with one swift motion of her strong fin, and continued, “But you should close the shell soon, too. It is getting late. Rest well.” Petra swam out of the room and closed the curtain to separate their rooms.

A few seconds later, the quiet creak of her shell was to be heard, and with that, Levi allowed himself to sink onto the soft, pink jelly, that adapted to his shape, and grabbed the cover, pulling it down with him until the shell was sealed shut.

The inside glowed in the dark, bioluminescent filaments of deep-sea anglerfish were attached there to provide a source of light at night. 

It reminded him of home, where he had these kind of strings in his own shell. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! Comments and kudos are appreciated <3
> 
> Expressions:  
Moons - 1 moon is rougly 1 month.  
to lose scales over somebody/something - rough equivalent of overthinking, losing sleeping over something; 'if too stressed, merpeople will lose their scales'  
Ponjro - basically a poncho.  
Meryoress - Mer! Mayoress. As you can tell, I love to play with words.  
Meople - Merpeople. But why would they call themselves merpeople? We don't call ourselves landpeople.  
Krella - currency, not comparable with human currency. Depending on Kingdom, you might get a whole jelly fish for 1 Krella, while you might get two for 5 Krellis.  
flipping - mersion (get it? mer version? hAH) of 'fucking', for example 'flipping hell', but for them it's flipping because mermaids, fintails,, yeah  
flute - while it's actually the 'fintail' of a whale, it's an equivalent to our 'ass', for example 'I'm not dragging your flute back home' or 'He got his flute beaten'  
catching the shivers - catching a cold


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thanks for checking back in, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!
> 
> Please note that I linked a tumblr post, which contains a drawing of the general design of the "bandier" (you'll know what it is when you read the chapter or the notes at the end) to give you a chance to better imagine what I was going for! 
> 
> Sorry for spelling mistakes or general errors?? But that's nothing new to y'all, sorry, I'm trying by best

“Thank you, every single one of you, for gathering here today to listen what I, a mere prince, have to say”, Levi began his speech while his pale skin looked chalky and the cassis red gown flowed from his shoulders down his back to waver behind him in the cool water. 

The merman was not used to speak in front of a whole city, let alone voice his concerns and thoughts about his mother’s health. She would be proud of him, talking to the crowd like a crown prince would, like she taught him.

Countless pairs of eyes sparkling in curiosity hung on his lips, waiting for them to continue the announcement. The crowd’s fins moved only slightly to keep them hovering over the sandy ground; blues, greys, blacks, greens, purples,

Prince Levi felt their gazes on him, they burnt themselves into his skin, drilling and stinging to get an answer to question; what was so important that the crown prince would travel here?

Slowly unclenching his fist, he took a moment to collect his thoughts. Where were all those sentences, all the ideas from the morning? Levi would have to improvise.

“It has been several moons since I’ve been here last, winters have passed by since then, and I am sorry for not having been present to you when I should have been”, he started off and observed the meople’s twitching ears. “Nevertheless, I do not regret it as there is a reason why I spent the last moons in Eamori without visiting any of the beautiful cities of our kingdom.”

His grey eyes scanned for Petra’s face in the crowd and when they found her, they softened upon the sight of her reassuring smile. 

It was only fair to tell his mother’s folk the truth about their Queen’s condition.

“Queen Kuchel, my mother, has developed an illness”, Prince Levi finally said and immediately saw the consequences of his action; the crowd fell silent, before they started to hum in sadness. 

It was that moment when he realized that his folk was indeed intelligent, they did not need him to tell any details. 

If the prince himself travelled all the way to them, Queen Kuchel was not bothered by just the shivers. It was serious, maybe - probably - even terminal. 

When the meople started to whistle lowly, expressing their concern and condolences, Levi’s own throat released a calm chant in attempt to reassure them that everything is going to be alright. And to his fortune, it worked perfectly fine. One of the perks of having royal blood flow to one’s veins. 

However, their agonizing, quiet cries of grief were a more than unpleasant sound and he was not spared with perceiving them, no matter which direction he turned his ears to.

“Do not worry, meople of Eamora. My mother is cared for by the best medics in the kingdom. Her illness is being treated and if it is Atlantiqua’s will, she will survive. She is our Queen and a kingdom needs its leader”, the prince announced and nodded slightly to himself, creating a short pause to let the news sink in. 

Hopeful and excited whistles ringed in his ears and let him relax, his fists unclenched from the tight grip he had on his words, on the meaning of his presence. 

Nevertheless, Levi did not find the courage, or rather have the effrontery to even address his own age, his almost-being of age to be crowned king. 

Only a few moons separated him from following his mother, replacing her as the new ruler of Eamora. 

  


After the prince ended his speech, the mass of mermaids and mermen stopped existing, the meople the crowd had consisted of broke up, turning into groups, turning into couples, turning into individuals. 

And with that, the merman was only accompanied by his guardian who smiled at him in ardour. “You did well, Levi”, Petra praised him and chirped in pride. “You handled the situation with grace, if we consider that this is one of your first times.”

With a slow nod, the prince acknowledged her compliment and purred for a second. “Thank you, Petra.” His eyes flew over her appearance. “Have you been to your treatments already?”

She snapped her fin and crossed her arms over her chest. “Not yet”, the guardian sighed, used to the follow up of this answer. “But yes, I will go there ‘this instant’ because you’re gonna rip off my scales if I won’t. I get it, I get it.”

Levi’s ears twitched in amusement. “Seems like you are indeed able to learn”, he teased her and watched her lips form a pout. “You go relax. I will explore the city’s nightlife. And don’t you dare follow me. I can take care of myself.” 

Where before had been neatly filed atlantic blue fingernails there were now sharp claws, overgrown nails that retreated from their peaceful slumber in his fingers. They were almost as long as his digits were. 

The guardian needed no more convincing, no more coaxing, but nevertheless she kept her worries, carrying them close to her heart. “If you say so. Have fun. Don't enter any buildings though. And don’t stay out for too long, don’t forget your bedtime.”

Before Levi could growl at her teasing words, she sped away to the antique-looking building in which she disappeared. 

  


Finally being alone, the prince could experience a night in the city, something he had never been allowed to do regardless of his age. 

His usual evenings were spent in his quarters or in the training hall but never outside of the castle’s protective wall of guards. Queen Kuchel did not want him to see the ‘dangerous fun’, she refused to let her son be intoxicated by the luring tunes of pleasure that would get him addicted, make him to lose sight of his duties.

Levi waited until the water was dark and the lights of the city started to glow in green, orange, yellow and reds. 

As he had no idea about where he should start, he followed his guts and swam around in the alleys, where little bars and bandiers opened their daily business. Nobody paid any real attention to him, everybody was too busy with their own plans. 

If he was honest with himself, Levi had never expected that the lamps, the glowing sea fish that accompanied their owners and the rich meople who decorated their bodies with anglerfish’ filaments would be even more beautiful up close. He had only ever seen all of it from his window and imagined himself how it would feel like. 

Another thing he had not surmised were the pheromones the meople gave off. The prince was used to everybody keeping them in check around the court at all times, especially with bailara taking place in a few moons.

Most of them - actually, every pheromone Levi came in contact with - stinged his nose’s sensitive nerves with bitterness and his throat felt dry, which was a strange feeling considering he lived underwater. 

Mermen spread their scent - most likely sharp and strong - persistently like a leech, while the mermaids’ were usually utterly sweet and faint, as if they attempted to lure potential mates to get a ‘better taste’ of them. 

Some meople seemed to be travelling in groups, either as friends or as partners, while others swam around alone with nobody by their side. 

Admittedly, there were a few mermaids and mermen with freakish looks, but nevertheless the colorful lights enhanced their appearance a great amount. Their scales danced under the light, whether they were shiny or matte it did not matter.

Music played in the distance as well as in close proximity, so his senses had a lot to perceive; however, Levi was sure he could never capture all of a city’s buoyant life. 

After it quieted down a bit and meople started to let loose, the prince decided that it was a good time to actually enter a ginnel. And he found a promising one.  
It was illuminated by little shell lamps, also glooming in colorful beams of light, that hung off a string, attached to the walls of opposing buildings.

Hypnotizing tunes, _ music _, rang from somewhere; it was different to the other songs that were being played in the bandiers in the area, sparking Levi’s interest and making his ears twitch. He decided to follow it, guided by the rhythm and reviving sounds. 

Soon, the music had led him to the entrance of a building that was already halfway buried in sand, making the ground floor seem like a cellar. There were several, countless cracks in the wall, as well as holes, but it didn’t leave the impression of being inhabited, which was reassuring his worry for the merfolk.

Levi pushed his mother’s and Petra’s words aside when he entered this strange, rundown resemblance of an antique house. 

[The room](https://pandatowrites.tumblr.com/post/187764524499/this-is-scenery-for-my-story-oceans-apart) he found himself in differed from what he was used to; instead of renovating the damaged walls with their holes and breaches, they were mostly covered by cloth. Fabrics in magnificent colors, from vibrant pinks over sparking purples and glowing turquoises to dark blues. 

Since it was already evening, close to night, there were no rays of sunshine sinking down into the building, yet there were other sources of light: Shell chandelier, a puffer fish floor lamp and hundreds of bioluminescent filaments of deep-sea anglerfish enlightened the innards. 

An indescribable aura coiled itself around Levi’s body, luring him and making him unable to leave, pulling him into the crowd. Yet he found it difficult to blend in, the meople seemed to have fun, while he was just an outsider, an observer.

The pheromones hit him hard when he opened his mouth to smell and he could not help but flinch back. There were so many, some could be singled out, however most of them mixed with others to create a massive, overwhelming unity.

Additionally, the water was moving quickly due to the dancing and swimming around from the masses of meople. It was quite a sensation, plus he could feel slight touches of tails, hair and other body parts while he sneaked around a bit, exploring this bandier. 

In the next room, decorated with the same fabric on the walls, the band was jamming on their shellstruments to attract curious listeners and confident dancers. And indeed, they did a marvelous job; the tunes they played let a shiver run down Levi’s spine with their rhythm and sonority. A lot of other mermaids and mermen felt the same seemingly, as there was almost no space to move freely. 

For another time, Levi opened his mouth, but instead of tasting the bitter taste of strong pheromones, a sweet, flowery scent shot down his throat. Surprisingly, it was not that present at all, it was light and thin, so he guessed that it was an unintentional outlet. 

He should not think too much about it.

Still, he was curious to whom it belonged.

Those scents weren’t usual in his kingdom, at least that was what he had thought he knew. So Levi should probably make sure that it wasn’t an intruder, right?

Yes, that’s what a prince should do. And that was definitely the only reason.

His ice-blue stare pierced through the crowd while he swam around and ignored the interested stares directed at him.

“Prince Levi is here?”, he heard them whisper, making his ears twitch a few times.

He stuck out like a sore thumb.

The silver scales on his fintail, the one visible trait of a royal merson, reflected the dull light and his jewelry wasn’t decent enough to go unnoticed easily. 

However Levi couldn’t spend time on reacting verbally to questions about his presence, because he caught a glance at something that made his pupils widen in attraction.

There, in the middle of the floor, there was a mermaid- no, a mer_ man _ and o, dear Atlantiqua, he was stunning. 

Long, brown hair floating around, framing a face that was yet to be seen by Levi. From the bridge of his nose downwards it was covered by a translucent, green fabric that glittered and sparkled in the dim, light blue light.

The merman’s sandy skin looked untouchable, as if it would shatter by contact; maybe that was why the crowd held their distance to watch him dance with passion. 

Golden strings flew over his torso, a beautiful jewelry Levi had never seen. Moreover, it was clean, seemingly unused. That stranger cared for his appearance. 

To the prince’s disappointment, a dark green, also glittering cloth was wrapped around his tail, making it impossible to tell which color the scales had. And he couldn’t even guess, it was impossible- the merman didn’t grow claws. His fingernails were short. 

‘What the hell?’, Levi thought with anger, but calmed himself down quickly. He had no right to be angry over it, it was just a stranger. So why was he so invested? 

Nevertheless he scooted closer, until he was in the second row of watchers. From that spot, he had a better view on the masked dancer who seemed to move every single muscle in his body every single second, and, flippin shit, it looked mesmerizing. 

Even his digits were moving, his fintail couldn’t keep still and his whole form bend from one complicated angle to the next, with almost no effort.

The heart’s beating in Levi’s chest gained speed and strength and his own tail didn’t stop twitching, no matter how rigid his torso was. 

These sensations were strange to him, he had never felt this weird arousal that wasn’t arousal, it was as if he was excited, but he didn’t know for what- he only knew that the way this dancer moved his hips and arms made him unable to turn away. 

The passion held in those motions, the sheer happiness in being able to show off his skill, the pure bliss captured in this beautiful face were enough to held the prince captive in his trance.

Levi tasted the pheromones from before again and this time they were stronger, meaning that the prince had neared the merson giving off this sweet scent that drove his mind wild.

The dancing merman wasn’t a big help either, he spread the smell quite well with his constant movement, but it was only then that Levi realized, that it was probably this one masked merson that gave off this taste.

The prince felt as if he had been put under a spell, the dancing- no, the merman himself enchanted him. 

And that was when they made eye contact for the first time.

When rainy sky met sparkling caribbean water, when a horizon wasn’t a separating border but a connecting line. 

For a second, the merman continued his dance, all the while staring at Levi with wide eyes, his motions slower than before and more hesitant, too.

It took no more than two seconds, he stopped altogether and shot from his position as the center of attention, fleeting out of the room, and the prince found himself able to properly think again.

However, he was interrupted, unable to follow the disappearing merson, as somebody gripped his arms from behind, their claws digging into his biceps. 

“Prince Levi! What are you doing _ here _?” 

There was a growl emerging from his throat as he recognized Petra’s voice. 

Oh, how he disliked her perfect timing in that very moment. 

“I could ask you the same”, he huffed and freed himself from her grip while turning around after realizing that there was no chance of finding the dancer again, for now at least. “Should you not be busy relaxing?”

The prince’s guardian crossed her arms and pouted, actually _ pouted _ , before she retorted, “Yes, but apparently I can not allow myself to do that. What are you doing in a _ bandier _? Especially in this part of the city? Are you trying to get kidnapped? This is not what I expected when you told me you were going to explore the ‘nightlife’!”

If Levi could have taken a deep breath, he would have done so. 

Eyes followed their every move, ears twitched in attempt to overhear their conversation. And to him, it was almost embarrassing that he was caught and interrogated. Luckily the shellstruments’ tunes covered most words.

“What are you, a penguin?”, he hissed, “I am capable of defending myself.” No second was wasted when he showed his hand with blue, long and sharp fingernails. 

Instead of answering Levi’s angered, icy glare with a daring one herself, Petra’s brows raised in confusion, her nostrils opening and closing all the while. “We will continue this later, Prince Levi.”

Actually taken back by his guardian’s change of heart - she would usually solve every issue related to Levi right then and there -, he relaxed his tensed muscles and nodded, before escaping the crowded building.

Curious glances stalked them, but none of the meople tried interfere; they moved aside and let their heads fall to the right, as an expression of humbleness.

When they were outside, Petra took hold of Levi’s hand and dragged him upwards where it was less crowded, until they were the only ones enlightened by the moon’s rays of cold beauty.

Those soft orange eyes pierced him in concern, until he finally spoke up, “What?”

“Do you not notice it yourself?”, the guardian asked, her lilac fin swaying around in an almost nervous manner. 

Levi observed her, but he didn’t detect any difference about her. “Notice what?”

“Your pheromones”, Petra started off quietly, as if she was lost in thought. “They were very… present, actually.”

When she mentioned his scent, Levi started to taste it himself as he brought a hand up to his nose, remainings of his pheromones clinged onto his skin.

How was it possible that he lost control over them when he had guarded his bodily functions so well up to this point? Even when his body had started to develop his attracting traits, the prince had never faced any difficulties. 

“Don’t worry about it”, Levi dismissed her concern. “No need to lose scales. It won’t happen again.” 

Although she was not convinced, Petra had to content herself with this unsatisfying answer when the prince furrowed his brows. 

“But now, why are you even here? You should be getting those treatments.”

She just smiled a little and said, “Guardian instincts? I could feel you getting in danger.”

Prince Levi rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “I was not in danger. And for the last time, I can defend myself.” Despite the casual everyday-annoyance, he ruffled her hair and started to swim back to their hotel with Petra next to him. 

“I don’t doubt that, you know”, she mumbled and listened to Levi chirping in agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!
> 
> Expressions/Explanations:  
regarding Levi's wish to explore the nightlife - Queen Kuchel does not allow her children to get intoxicated by the nightlife's thrill, as there are generally no rules; the guards (police) don't have a great grip on what's going on there, so she doesn't want her children to get spoiled, addicted or endangered  
regarding the nails/claws - Levi's folk has the ability to push out their nails (they are strong, but they can bend in order to make it possible to ball a fist; it's almost like Wolverine, but yknow it comes from their nailbeds); claws function as weapons. plus they have the same color as their scales.  
bandiers - basically almost like a club where bands play, but every bandier has its own band (that always performs there); most have their own vibe as well. sometimes dancers are hired, often 'professional' dancers just show up though and let people watch them (hmmm they love attention and dancing), but there are also just people clubbin for themselves, with their friends or partners.  
pheromones - self-explaining i guess, but i want to clearify that there is no abo happening here, it's just a scent they give off, but yknow it's not just "skin scent" like humans have, because uh it's fic and i decide that they have scents. inspired by sharks tasting blood?? + in order for them to smell/taste with their nose,, they can uh "inhale" water bc they have gills so they're fine; but they can still breath air, that's why they can/want to sigh (don't get me started on this whole au and story and plot and world, i planned out SO MANY details about it, the kingdoms, the religin, and everything, i'm old when i'm done)  
shellstruments - instrumets, but made with shells  
silver scales - royal bloodline's visible trait, cold-water royals spot silver scales, while warm-water royals grow golden scales  
"What are you, a penguin?" - rethoric question, referring to someone being overprotective; stems from the emperor penguins behaviour of protecting their chicks against the cold in their pouch, to keep them safe and warm; plus they hunt for them. so yeah, very caring parents.


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy,,, I know I know, it's been some time,,,  
Uni started and it's kind of overwhelming ahaha  
Yet I'm happy so say that Torschlusspanik is finished, just not beta-ed, + i'm working on gifts!! and like 77 wips  
so sorry but also thank you for not giving up on me yet  
Hope you enjoy! <3
> 
> PS: i included a drawing!! follow the link to the tumblr post  
PSS: im also kinda experimenting w my writing style so ehhh beware??

_ “... Thousands of years ago, Tpangaae, the Goddess of Earth, and Atlantiqua, the Goddess of Water, two sisters, created this world we live in. While Tpangaae cared for living beings on land, Atlantiqua, our progenitor, created greater life to reside in the ocean. Yet she had so many ideas for us, that she divided us into 7 kingdoms, and for each one of them she designed a special bloodline to rule over its proper folk.  _

_ Can you name the kingdoms? Let’s do it together, Lee.” _

_ Queen Kuchel cradled her son to her chest and played with his hair, while she was laying in his shell with him. The little prince nodded and took his mother’s hand. _

_ “Eamora, Ceanuri, Salacada, Neritas, Vapothis, Glaciatis, Jutune… Perfect.” _

_ She tried to get him to sleep. He shouldn’t have to experience such agony. _

_ “At first, all kingdoms lived together peacefully and served the Goddess. Some of us gifted her goods, some of us entertained her with dancing. Yet… she became ill due to sick hearts, twisted minds and bad intentions. The kingdoms blamed each other and the Great Atlantiquan War started. While some distanced themselves, others fought bitterly for an age. Sadly, many used this unholy war to claim more and more, until the old dynamics between the kingdoms were overthrown.” _

_ Her voice was quivering, but she reprimanded herself to stay calm. _

_ “Atlantiqua, angered by her creation's misdeed, cursed those who did not remain peaceful. She gave them claws instead of fingernails, as well as sharper teeth, rougher scales and dull-colored fins and doomed them to live away from humans, in colder parts of their kingdoms and with rocky grounds. The others, who had shown kindness, were blessed: They were gifted with beautiful voices, fruitful grounds, warm water and the opportunity to find a mate on the shore. Some may say that this act was one of the reasons why the kingdoms distanced themselves even further from each other, but I dare to say that this is justice. However, I wish for us to live as one. We all are children of Atlantiqua.” _

_ Queen Kuchel pressed a kiss to Prince Levi’s forehead. “Now sleep, my son. When the sun blesses us again, I will be by your side.” _

_ Heavy lids covered stormy grey, only opening once more to let his mother leave his shell and watch her close it. _

_ “My Queen, we need you out there. Please.” _

_ “Get me to the front. If they dare to invade the Capital, I shall dare to defend it.”  _

_ And then, he closed his eyes again and drifted off to sleep. _

Levi opened his eyes, staring at the bioluminescent filaments of deep-sea anglerfish that illuminated the dark shell. 

His dream, one of the first memories to get stuck in his brain, set him back to his childhood. Could he ever be the same as his mother?

The pale hands rubbed his face to remove the drowsy remains of sleep from his vision. 

Queen Kuchel and he did share the same goal, but they longed to reach it by different means. 

She deserved her name Kuchel the Kind, as she had never killed a single foe or criminal, only injured them on the battlesea to capture them. If they regret their misdeed genuinely, full-heartedly, they would be spared from any sentences. 

Yet… if they adorned themselves with their actions, or did not regret them in the least, they would face a proper punishment.

Pray to Atlantiqua that your crime was only theft. Because whatever you did, gets done to you. 

That were the politics, that was the justice the Eamorean folk knew.

And it worked, even if it might appear morbid. 

Quiet chattering rose Prince Levi to a sitting position, made him open the shell bed and peak outside. His pupils adapted to the brightness quickly, clearing his vision from leftover sleep.

Near the apartment entrance, where the red sea anemones grew abundantly to ensure more comfort, there they were sitting and holding a conversation with Petra.

His sister, Princess Mikasa, and Jean - also known as seahorse -, her guardian.

She looked as graceful as ever, her black hair floated over her shoulders, emphasizing how pale her skin was. The royal siblings were known for their fair tone, for the almost translucent appearance. Blue, purple and green lines shone through, reminding one of guiding maps. 

Mikasa’s midnight black fin was matte, only the silver scales ad the silver jewelry she wore reflected the dim light. A wine red cloak made of Atlantiqua’s hair covered her backside, a silver lace around her neck held it in place. Her black fingernails were sharpened; Levi figured that she had visited a spa to get a treatment.

On the contrary, her ash-blonde guardian wore neither jewelry nor any item of clothing, revealing all the scars from previous fights, a sign of strength and price.    
Not that Levi thought scars were ugly or a shameful thing, he admired people who did not care about their attractiveness; perhaps because he himself was unable to express his own power yet. And he had to admit, Jean’s exhibition of muscles and strength worked on him, as weird as it was. A merson could call themselves lucky to find a mate whose first instinct was to protect. 

It was just the fact that Jean had feelings for his sister that he didn’t appreciate him as much as he should. 

“Brother”, the princess greeted him with a graceful nod and cheerful chirping when Levi swam over to the table and took one of her delicate hands into his own. 

“Prince Levi”, Jean said with a low voice, his voice sparked in respect and relief, and he clicked almost silently. “Was the moon-up enjoyable for you?” 

The present meople in the room were used to his strange vocabulary, as he came from one of the less populated parts of the kingdom. His dialect, Slactic, was harsh yet much simpler than formal Eamoran the most Eamoreans grew up with. While in Slactic Ks, Ts, Ps and Ys were heavily pronounced, the formal language preferred to roll the Rs and let throaty sounds stand out. 

Merian, the first language, the language everybody had spoken before the Great Atlantiquan War, was much more cryptic and less related to hooman pronunciation, as they had relied on the sounds their tongues and throats created. 

“Yes. Why? Did anything happen while I was asleep?” Levi eyed Petra who was supposed to wake him in case of emergency, before his stare fell back onto his sister who let go of his hand. “Is that why you two are here?”

Mikasa shook her head. “Just a storm. Tpangaae’s folk had trouble staying afloat on their boats.” Her grey gaze pierced her brother. “Petra informed us that you’re still visiting villages. I had planned on travelling home alongside you, actually, but it seems that you still got plenty to do.”

The prince nodded and finally sat down himself, between the two guardians. “I do”, he confirmed and let his ear twitch. “Tell me, where have you been, sister?”

“I had been visiting Watalean. And in some towns in the South. Jean reunited with his family for a dinner and they invited me as well”, Princess Mikasa told with a soft smile, her caudal fin danced due to the end of her tail moving around in circles. A habit she inherited from her mother. Both mermaids motioned around with her fins when they drifted off in thoughts. “His family is very welcoming. Nice meople, indeed. Although their dialect is quite strong, it was incomprehensible at times.” 

Jean’s head turned to the side, probably to hide the decent blush that crept from his gills up to his cheeks.

Suddenly, the black fin came to a halt and Mikasa’s eyes went big. “Right, there was something else.” Her fingers started to cradle her necklace that reached a tad above her belly button where a ring had been stung through her tissue. All sorts of gemstones were attached to it, hanging down and sparkling even in dull brightness. “We travelled with the humpback whales, and even missed this city by accident. However, we were able to spot Ceanurean guards in our waters.”

Jean affirmed with a rough growl, before he added, “They weren’t carrying weapons, they seemed lost. They looked for someone, I’m pretty sure. They suppressed their pheromones with blockers, because we did not smell them at all.” He leaned forward and gestured with his hands. “You should be cautious. They might be looking for a criminal who fled over the border.” 

“What makes you think that?”, Levi wondered, his brow arched in interest and he crossed his arms. “Were they carrying restraints?”

“The guards wore the royal badge”, the guardian clarified and Petra tensed, which did not go unnoticed by the prince. “But no restraints.”

Mikasa stared intensely at Levi, her fingers still busy fidgeting. “What are your thoughts, brother?”

The prince’s thoughts revolved around the mysterious dancer from a week ago. 

His nails had been trimmed, very uncommon in cold-water kingdoms. Usually only meople with deformations had short nails.

What would a Ceanurean criminal dance for in a bandier? In Eamora’s nightlife? 

It didn’t make sense to him, although it would explain the stranger’s reaction to Levi.

He shouldn’t think of anybody who wasn’t the same as him as a criminal or Ceanuri.

“Petra and I will look out for suspicious activity”, Prince Levi answered ultimately and seemed lost in his own mind, before his eyes cleared up and he was back in reality. “Speaking of royal guards. Jutune’s monarchy seems to be crumbling. Guards patrol the borders.”

His guardian nodded. “The villagers told us about it. They are scared for their cubs.” Petra looked as uneasy as somebody who will expect offspring themself, and so she rubbed her lilac fintail, reminded of the soon-starting bailara season. 

Mikasa stopped the mermaids anxiously shivering hand and grabbed it instead, sending out a purring sound with her throat for comfort. “Do not worry. Yours will be safe in the capital.”

With a wishing and craving glare, Jean mustered up enough self-control to not chime in. It would have been quite inappropriate for him do so, even if he held good intentions. 

Levi could tell that he was torn, but he himself stayed quiet as well. 

He was close with his guardian, nevertheless it was not in his position to show even platonic affection. So he chose to verbally reassure her. “Nobody would ever dare to mess with you, even if it they came close to your place.”

  
  


Later when Petra showed Jean around, as he had never been to Iquira before, Mikasa pulled Levi aside and requested him to stay at the apartment with her, and so he did. 

“What is it?”, he required to know when both of them sat down on the shell’s bedding. 

“Do you remember Queen Alma?” Her voice was quiet, caution painted her tongue as she spoke. “Alma the Sole?” 

The prince’s muscles tensed, the fintail stilled and his lips formed straight line. “What about her?” 

Queen Alma the Sole, 24th Queen of Glaciatas. 

If he had not seen her with his own eyes, he would have not believed any of the tales that were indeed nothing but facts, history and, sadly, the truth. 

A reign of cruelty, of terror and of greed. 

“Rod presented the new ruler to the kingdom”, Mikasa started in a serious tone. “And she is of royal blood.” 

Levi’s eyes widened slightly and his claws digged into the jelly bedding. “Does she have silver scales?”

“Yes. Genuine silver scales. She is Alma’s offspring and currently about 192 moons old.”

“Are you aware of what that means?”, the prince asked his sister who clicked in affirmation, before she responded.

“Rod killed the Queen after she gave birth.” 

Levi stared outside and laid back, his gaze now lifted up to the ceiling. 

“Her name is Historia”, Mikasa added and mimicked his motion, resting next to him. “Rod claimed Atlantiqua whispered the name into his ears the night he rescued the freshly birthed one. Because she will be the beginning of a new age in Glaciatis. The last cub to lose her siblings the same way.”

Levi shot bubbles from his nose. “I wonder what title she’ll be given then. Historia the one whose cries won’t haunt the sea? The sharks must be hungry in Glaciatis.”

His sister slapped his fin in a reprimanding manner. “Stop it with your morbid humour, Lee.”   
“No need to shit your scales, Kasa.” The prince looked over to her and his gaze softened, as he spoke up again after a short pause. “When will you travel back home?”

Mikasa let her hand glide into her brother’s grasp and they squeezed their hands gently. “Tonight”, she responded and closed her eyes. “I will send the fastest tailmaid if anything were to happen.”

“Thank you.”

  
  


-x-

  
  


The sea’s ceiling started to lighten up, when Levi woke up and decided to go for a quick swim. The mellow colours painted across the light blue canvas created a pleasant aura; the pinks, yellows and lilacs with sun’s glitter and leftover star sparkle felt like a pastel dream.

It was a pleasure to float in the morning waves, staring at the clouds and being tickled by chill breezes of air. 

He watched a few of those weird birds hover in nothing, searching for fish in the water and then attack them. 

_ Fools _ . They should rather sit on the water and wait until the fish got used to them. Or just learn how to dive. 

Just like he did. 

When one of the birds decided to land on his belly, he grabbed it quickly and listened to its ugly cries as his claws seemingly hurt it. So he loosened his grip, secure nevertheless, and stared at the feathers while the little animal struggled. “Sorry.”

They were quite soft, a little wet and dirty, and he found himself squeezing the bird slightly, before he let it go again.

The Prince drifted upon the waves, moving his fintail ever so slightly while water drops danced on his oily skin and silver scales reflected the rays of sunshine. 

_ “Do you like the sunrise, my children? It is beautiful, is it not? In every happy event, there lies tragic nostalgia. You have to experience bad to know good. And some even require sacrifice. The way the moon chases the sun and the sun chases the moon. The sun dies every night, and drowns her fire in the ocean, hence why some folks call it ‘sundown’. And she does so, to let us sleep and bless us with the moon’s beauty. And the moon as well, she drowns herself, to wake up the sun for her duty to spend us light, to illuminate our life and to grow our plants.”  _

Levi closed both pair of his lids and allowed himself to wallow in reminiscences while he was alone, while the world woke up from its nightly slumber.

In his mind,  _ he was 146 moons old again and exploring the coldest parts of their kingdom, where meople spoke in a weird language to him, where everything was of little size and where plants grew to look like frozen hair.  _

_ The royal siblings were diving under the ice ceiling, the light blue and non-existent to creatures that can’t see in the dark, as it travelled through the thick, solid water. _

_ Sea angels and ice fish floated past them as sea stars snuck across the bottom of the sea.  _

_ His mother had told him that there were big, fuzzy white animals living on the other side of the world and he would have liked to see them as well, but unfortunately, they did not survive in their kingdom.  _

_ Luckily though, penguins and seals called Eamora their home.  _

_ They were warm and loved snuggling, great travel companions. _

_ Mikasa picked up one of the pinkish sea stars and pressed it to her arm in curiosity. Much to her shock, it stuck to her white skin, and although it did not hurt, she cried out, a helpless, jarring screech left her throat.  _

_ Her brother sped to her and with joined forces, they were able to pry off the little animal from her arm. It left some red dots and both pairs of eyes stared at them, before they found each other. _

_ Later, when they met up with their mother again, she almost lost her scales when she rushed them to a sage. Turns out that these star fish were slightly toxic, especially for meople.  _

Levi’s ears twitched and his opened at the faint sound of a voice. A lovely voice, singing a song in a foreign tongue.

“Is it thou who I see”

This tune, so whole. The prince’s interest arose upon that voice.

It was so quiet, so far away, he had to get closer.

“Everytime I close my eyes?”

Such a tragic tone. It made Levi feel nostalgia, there were lost memories a merson he didn’t remember, a love he never felt.

“Is it a drawing of thee”

He started swimming towards the source of the dying tunes, reviving them with new force and volume.

“That maketh my heart vulnerable?”

And island appeared in clear vision, no more blurry and far away. A accumulation of dark rocks grew upwards, spawning where the bottom of the sea was visible from the surface, and the waters were shallow and warm now.

Prince Levi was at the [shore](https://pandatowrites.tumblr.com/post/188911084059/a-very-important-place-in-oceans-apart), a place where he was not supposed to be ever. 

But the singing voice had sent him into a trance he could not escape, he had to follow it’s unspoken demand.

The merman found himself staring at the rocks, the way the waves shattered against them, never breaking the solid black, and the fintail that hung over the edge, the very ends of the caudal fin hiding in the clear water.

What he saw had him forget how to move any muscle to stay afloat. 

The most beautiful creature sat there, singing and daydreaming.

Brown hair fell over broad shoulders, straight and shiny. 

Muscles hidden away behind sandy skin, tan and strong.

Green gemstones as eyes, lips as pink as corals, hands so fine and big, yet without claws.

Wild eyebrows, nothing he was used to, but the determined mimic paired with wishful gazes did things to Levi. 

He knew this merson.

It was the masked dancer. The dancer he dreamt of - way too much.

The turquoise fintail sparkled, but not in hues of blue and green, but in golden rays.

And that was, when the shell opened up to him.

The dancer, the merson singing to lonely clouds and familiar waves, was a prince as well.

This was the merson the Ceanurean royal guards were looking for.

This had to be Prince Eren of Ceanuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expressions/Explanations:  
\- Queen Alma's misdeed: she fed her cubs (YES I DECIDED ON USING "CUBS") to the sharks so she would be the the ruler till death, as female offspring meant that she'd have to step down from the throne one day  
\- "the shell opened up": something like "the marbles dropped" (??); a metaphor for the truth/reality being revealed to you  
\- the shore, a placewhere he was not supposed to be: levi is a cold water merman and therefore is not used to warm water and is actually somewhat not allowed to come near humans (that yknow live on land... shore... land...)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> And im very sorry for errors or anything I'm really stressed w uni and i cant concentrate on anything aAAH


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Here's a rather short chapter, only 2.7K words, but this is everything that belongs in it. And I don't wanna destroy the little order that is left from my original plan. I hope you enjoy reading! We finally get to see our princes interact! AND!! it's partially focused on Eren!! And as always, sorry for errors, nobody betas this so yeah yall will probably understand what i mean and thats the point right

Prince Eren. He was the 2nd son of Queen Carla the Graceful, the 22nd Queen of Ceanuri, and 2nd son of King Grisha, blessed partner of her majesty. 

The merman was no stranger to the royal guards who had a hard time trying to control the turbulent offspring. He snuck away at night, travelled a day to other cities and performed there.

Why should he not dance in front of people? Why should he not sing above the water? 

Eren was just a prince. He would not become the king of Ceanuri. Only if his brother, Prince Zeke, would pass away, but that seemed very unlikely. Zeke had received Atlantiqua’s blessing when Carla presented her son to the kingdom. 

And yet, everytime the royal guards caught him and brought him back home, he was the one whose ears were filled up with his parents’ growls and cries.

He detested the life at court. He wanted to live outside, he wanted to explore every oh-so-little corner of the seven seas. 

He wanted to show that he was good for more than to just look pretty and exist alongside his brother. He was more than a prince.

If you don’t try to change your fate, you won’t fulfill your dreams. 

With that motive in mind, Prince Eren showed no hesitation when he left his kingdom and entered the neighbouring kingdom, Eamora.

No sane merson would ever advise anybody to just swim around in cold waters.

Sirens. That was what they called the meople who lived in cold water kingdoms.

Because that was what they were.

Long, sharp claws and teeth, fast and deadly movements, hunters.

Creatures feared by those living on land and sailing on boats.

Ugly monsters.

When he was a young cub, Eren believed those tales. But now that he had spent some nights in Eamorean bandiers, he could not continue to be blinded by lies, to ignore the truth, to demonize beings that were - in their core - the same as he was.

And seemingly, the royal blood did not make them any more ruthless than they were without. 

He had spotted him when he had tasted his scent. 

Prince Levi. 

His scent, it was surprisingly strong. A scent he knew from mornings after stormy nights. It was the scent of rain, mixed with the scent of the fruits and wood he robbed from lonely shores. And, unsurprisingly, musk. Usually only produced during Bailara to attract another merson.

Prince Eren could only assume Prince Levi’s whereabouts, because he had fled before the siren was able to approach him. 

However, he had to admit that his taste was a delight. And… he was quite a merman.

  
  


It was early morning when he found his way to his favourite spot: An azure cove with stones made black with wetness, sand as white as the far away pufferfish in the sky and none of those creatures living on land was in sight. 

Heaven’s tent dressed itself in its beautiful colors in an attempt to impress its daytime mistress, the glowing ball that burned his skin if he spend too much time above the water. 

Eren’s first times on the rocks were followed by nasty red spots on his skin, but he had adapted to it; his skin went from a light, rosy tone to a sandy light brown. Now he resembled his dear mother more than ever.

The prince hoisted himself up, muscular arms doing their best when they lifted him in a swift motion out of the water, drops rolling down his smooth body. He patted around on his head when he was finally seated, and found the blue shell comb he had pushed in the hairball at the back of his head which he opened with skilled fingers. 

When his hair fell over his shoulders, Eren started to brush the knots out with the comb and lost himself in thoughts.

Ever since he had seen the Eamorean prince he could not  _ not  _ dream about him.

_ Are our fates intertwined?  _

He wished that his mother would let him see the nightlife of his own kingdom, as the other prince was seemingly allowed to do, and he sighed deeply. 

Could he ever experience other cultures and kingdoms? Not if he obeyed his parents. 

If everything would go after his parents, he would be in the castle every day and night. 

All Eren wanted was to be free.

Maybe he should try to exchange some words with an Eamorean the next time he saw one. 

_ Yes. The next one I see… They shall tell me everything about their culture. _

Prince Eren’s hand sunk onto the hard surface of the rock where he placed his comb. 

The beautiful sound of the azure waves caught his attention, the landward wind’s tunes whispered in his ears and stroked his hair. 

And easy as that, words of unfamiliar nostalgia spilled from his lips as he started to sing, “Is it thou who I see… everytime I close my eyes?”

Both lids covered his turquoise eyes as he concentrated on the inspiration flowing through his veins. The salty scent of the sea tingled in his nose while the breeze dried his skin, his green scales mattified while those of golden royalty kept their sparkle.

“Is it a drawing of thee that maketh my heart vulnerable?”

Usually only those living on land neared him when he sang, but it seemed that he had the luck of catching someone way more precious. Eren felt his presence as soon as he had stopped swimming closer and started watching him from afar. 

When he opened his eyes again, he stared right into his icy eyes and a shiver went down is spine. A paralysing gaze, although he was not even in life-threatening danger.

His vocal cords stilled, no sound left his throat as he choked down the next tunes and their conversation remained non-existent as it consisted of silence.

The prince’s royal tiara was missing, but Eren was not wearing his own either. He only wore the necklace, his valuable key attached to it of course, and the golden chain for his dagger was wrapped around his hips. 

Nevertheless, Prince Eren had to admit that the Eamorean’s natural appearance showed his heritage. The almost translucent skin, the caliginosity black hair and the sharp facial features paired with controlled movement. 

“Do you not want to introduce yourself? It’s rude to sit just there and eye me”, the foreign prince spoke up, his accent was quite heavy. But… His voice was deep and rich, it made Eren’s ears and fintail twitch altogether. 

“Why should I introduce myself in my own kingdom? Aren’t you the one who entered warm waters?”, Prince Eren answered with a smile. A friendly smile, although his answer was unfitting. “Moreover… I know who you are.” 

Unimpressed, the Eamorean merman continued to stare at him.

“You are Prince Levi of Eamora, the firstborn of Queen Kuchel the Kind, the 23rd queen of Eamora”, the brunet merson proceeded, his smile growing more genuine. “You are the prince whose heart cannot be stolen by a thousand thieves.”

In an unintended attempt to snort, Prince Levi released air through his nose. “And you are Prince Eren of Ceanuri, the second son of Queen Carla the Graceful, 22nd queen of Eamora.” 

Their eyes fought a silent battle, a battle Eren knew he would lose either way, so he averted his gaze when he turned his head to the side, even tilting it to expose his gills to pay the foreign prince respect. 

The siren’s brows furrowed and, unexpectedly, when Prince Eren decided to connect with him on a visual level he found him exposing his neck as well for a brief moment.

Turquoise eyes glittered and his fingers shook as he laid them down on his green scales. 

“What is it that you desire?”, he questioned when he found his voice, still throaty from the surprising action of reverence.

Prince Levi approached him with strong movements of his tail, powerful and quick, and was a mere pinna away, so close Eren could detect the silver scales under sparkling waves.

Gulping down salty saliva, the prince watched the water drops rolled over the Eamorean’s glossy, almost translucent skin and they way green, blue and purple lines travelled across his muscular forearms as they hoisted him up to be closer to Eren’s face. 

“I desire nothing”, Prince Levi growled, his facial features expressing indifference. “Yet I am interested to know why you would enter my kingdom to dance.”

Turquoise eyes widened. He knew who he was. There was no need to deny it, especially when sharp fangs were this close to his gills. Not that he would expect the foreign merman to attack him, but he was indeed quite intimidating.

But as much as Eren loved water, he liked to play with fire.

“Is it forbidden?”, he asked with higher pitched vocals to seem more innocent than he was. “There were no signs anywhere that I was not allowed to dance in your kingdom’s beautiful bandiers.” One of hands wandered to his golden dagger, but Prince Levi grabbed his wrist, claws scratching the tan skin in the process. 

The merman’s tongue clicked montonously, an expression of annoyance. “Dancing in strange water… There’s indeed not a single sign. Especially not a sign of intelligence.” 

Their eyes stayed connected all the while, tension was building up between them, a tension so great it was unbearable to Eren.

“Strange. You seem to be committing the same social crime”, he remarked and allowed his arm to relax, but the grip did not lose the tiniest bit. 

“Arrest me then, Prince Eren”, the foreigner provoked, knowing that no harm would confront them. 

The intense staring made Eren weak, he was not used to being challenged this way. But he enjoyed it. Like a silly game. A silly, thrilling, dangerous game.

Because the merman was so close, he could see Prince Levi’s almost completely hidden ears, the golden jewelry glittered in the sunlight. 

He seemed to have a preference for golden jewelry, as the chain around his hips was made of golden pieces and pastel pearls as well. And the piece hugging his bicep looked delicious, displaying a wave, as a symbol for stormy waters. 

“I would love to. I could take you with me and interrogate you for moons.” A smile played itself onto his rose lips and made pale earls twitch.

Yet instead of joining in on Eren’s playful talk, his face changed into a frown. “Quiet”, Prince Levi commanded and stared at his face, paying attention to something else.

“What-”, the Ceanurean prince asked, but a quick hand flew onto his lips, sealing them shut, followed by a controlling hiss.

“I need to go. You must not be found.”

With that, Prince Levi released his wrist, slid back into the water and disappeared from Eren’s view. 

“Is it not you, who must not be found?”, he whispered, although the Eamorean had long vanished.

In the distance, he saw two heads pop above the water, one black and one orange, the black head trying to conceal the orange one.

Or hiding Eren from the orange’s head view.

So he crawled like a seal behind the rock and hid.

He had to hide in his own kingdom yet again.

Prince Eren placed his fingers over the memory of the Eamorean’s hand. It felt cold and tinglish, the remains of his scent lingered directly under his nose.

_ What a tease _ , the prince thought jokingly to himself. 

-x-

  
  


“If you do not tell me who that mermaid was I am so gonna descale your fin this instant”, Petra growled, pushing against Levi and trying to get to the shore, but he held her in place. 

“Just a Ceanurean. Do not worry. He caught me sneaking around here”, he told her, not even lying, because Prince Eren was indeed a Ceanurean mermaid and he had indeed somewhat caught him. 

“Oh, really? Did you fight? Or why do I smell a flowery scent on you?” 

Shark shit.

“Indeed. But I totally wrecked him. He stood no chance”, Levi lied, grabbing his guardians hands and pulling her along with him. “Let’s swim back.”

“We will have to travel back to Eamori. Your mother is waiting on you”, Petra informed the prince and felt his grip tighten. “You shall not worry. Her state has not worsened.”

“Then why is she awaiting my return?”, he asked as he turned around in one swift motion to face his guardian. 

The mermaid’s ear twitched and her nostrils flattered. “I have not the slightest idea, I am sorry. However, Levi, it might be because of the soonest Bailara. Or because… she simply misses you. You know how it affects her health when Princess Mikasa and you yourself are not in the castle.”

Levi’s shoulders sank and his grip lost its strength. “You’re probably right.” When he thought about Bailara, he could not help but be reminded of Prince Eren. Would he visit Eamori one day with his naive wish of dancing?

Why would he even do so in a foreign kingdom? Has he sewn his gills shut?

With one last glance towards the shore, he left the open sea to return back to Iquira with Petra.

  
  


-x-

  
  


Moons passed by quickly and Levi could not stop dreaming of the Ceanurean prince. His image had been burned into his memory, even his sleeping shell could not protect him of those pleasant nightmares. 

Haunting by the kind smile, the prince rolled around on the jelly to look for a more comfortable position. 

Sandy skin clouded his mind, as if somebody had whipped their fin around on the ground to disappear in dirty water.

And those eyes… Never had he ever seen a color as beautiful and as bright.

They pulled him in closer, trying to drown him in temptation. “ _ Come closer, look at us… _ ”, they begged with pleading stares.

Prince Levi rubbed his palms over his face in an attempt for clean himself from those thoughts, but it did not work. Old sirens’ tales. 

He sat up after opening the shell and looked across the room to the piece of fabric dividing his room from Petra’s. They would have to travel back to Eamori soon. 

The merman considered waking up his guardian for advice, something he had done in the past way too often, but he had grown more distant the longer he knew her. Not only would Petra be a grumpy flute after being woken up, but he also had no permission to ask her at all. He was his own person. He was a prince. He would be king one day. He needed to find solutions to problems himself. 

In conclusion, Levi sank back down ono the jelly and stared at the red furniture. And then at his own reflection in the mirror. 

Seeing himself was a weird experience, because that was how everybody else saw him. 

Nobody heard his thoughts, nobody touched his heart. 

Everything was purely superficial. Meople would only ever be able to read the words he expressed through body language. 

Was this also how Prince Eren saw him? How the meople in warm waters saw the meople from cold waters?

This terrifying, strong jaw with a set of sharp, deadly fangs, the ugly, sharp facial features, the deformed, pointed ears, along with dead eyes and feral bodies, muscular and painted in cold colors… 

Levi never thought so, in his opinion, sirens were able to look indeed pretty. 

But to beautiful creatures he must look like a monster. 

He didn’t pretend as if that was not the truth. 

Objectively seen, their culture was rather violent in some aspects and their history was stained with blood.

They were feared.

They were sirens.

Monsters, disguised as abused mermaids.

Punished due to ancestors’ misdeeds, sentenced by their goddess to never have the same quality of life as those living in warm waters. 

They would never see the same beauty.

But that did not mean that they could not find their own beauty. That they could not find their own, very personal happiness.

Prince Levi lifted his arm up, reached for the surface and examined his hand. 

He could never reach for the pearls and the emeralds in the sky. Not through the ceiling, and certainly not through the sky.

He would have to catch his own treasure in some other way.

And he wondered, when that day would arrive.

Yet Levi was sure that he would protect it with everything he had, even with his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3


	5. Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you enjoy!!  
Sorry for the long wait! I wrote like 99% of the chapter today bc I had been too busy before lol  
& sorry for errors as always, but i think im getting better
> 
> [Scenery for this chapter](https://pandatowrites.tumblr.com/post/190873301639/scenery-for-oceans-apart-chapter-5)

“Someday I might have to lock down the whole castle,” Zeke growled when Prince Eren snuck back into his room and flinched upon hearing the angry voice. “Where have you been, brother? You have been leaving the castle quite often lately. Is there something you’re hiding?”

Eren turned around to face the merman who was sitting on his shell, arms crossed and crown sitting on his golden locks. His beard had been growing as he had stopped cutting it short, he figured. “I was just visiting a… friend.” 

“A friend, you say?”, Zeke questioned and tilted his head to the side, his ears were twitching sightly as if he tried to notice any lies in Eren’s response.

“Yes. A friend,” his brother repeated and swam to his shell, only a tail away from Zeke. 

“Then tell me, who is your friend? No secrets between brothers.” 

Eren hesitated, but he knew that his brother’s love for him was his strength and weakness. “Actually… It is kind of complicated. You see, I might have feelings for my friend. And I shall keep their identity to myself,” he told him, lying only a bit.

Zeke’s eyes lit up, a smile shone the frown away. “Those are great news. You shall tell me about them.”

Shark shit. 

“Oh, maybe tomorrow… It’s late. And you must be awake again when the water is still dark,” Eren mumbled and faked a yawn, a stretch of his face and jaw muscles. 

“You seem to be tired as well. Rest well, brother. We shall meet when the sun goes to sleep”, Zeke demanded and swam out of the room, closing the curtain behind himself to let the other prince have some privacy. 

The merman sank down into his shell, releasing a few bubbles from his nose before closing up his nostrils again. “What am I even doing?” Eren washed his face with clean hands, rubbing over his eyes and cheeks as if he tried to wake himself from a dream. 

Zeke, his dear big brother, the future king of Ceanuri, would question his sanity if he knew that he had befriended an Eamorean, not to mention the crown prince. 

  
-x-

  
  


When the clouds were purple, they met again. Birds sang their songs of speech, their talking disrupting Eren’s peace while he waited for Prince Levi’s head to pop out of the water.

The merman removed the jewelry from his hair, letting it fall over his shoulder, and started to brush it. 

There was a pulling sensation in his gut and he felt the need to look as presentable as he could, although he should really not be bothered by it. He was born in Ceanuri, he was a mermaid.

Prince Levi was used to - in comparison - feral looking meople, even though he himself was somebody that made one forget how to flip their fins, so why did Eren make such a fuss about looking good? He brushed it off, thinking that it might just be the Bailara hormones affecting him. They were everywhere already, in the water and even above the surface.

At least they would have some privacy here, nobody in their right mind would ever come close to the coast during or even this soon until Bailara. They would be busy mating in their own homes.

Prince Eren had often daydreamed about somebody coming up to him and trying to seduce him with dancing movements, coming close to him and eradicating the distance between them to feel each other’s skins and scales glide against one another. 

Just the thought made him shiver and he closed his eyes as he dwelled in imaginary future scenarios.

A pale hand with claws reaching out to him, baring his neck and presenting a gift or food to him, while stormy eyes and a delicious face stared at him, never breaking eye contact, and also a torso that showcased how well the merman could protect him, and o Atlantiqua- 

  
Yet when he opened his eyes, his sight did not change except for the fact that a flower was held by said pale hand.

Levi was there in the water in front of him, staring up at him with curious, stormy eyes, while the water swept around his flawed torso.

Eren shrieked away at first, as the other prince’s sudden presence had startled him; he had been so quiet he had not heard him approach the rocks. 

However even when he had accustomed to Levi being right in front of him, he remained tense. 

This exact hand with exactly those claws, those stormy eyes… Even the scars. 

The realization made him gulp loudly and the Eamorean prince tilted his head in confusion.

“Do you not like the flower?”, he whispered as though to make it not as awkward, which made no sense as sirens usually felt no shame in any regard.

Turquoise eyes observed the plant and the pupils dilated even more. 

The petals started out in mellow yellow in the center, transitioned to the most lovely salmon and they appeared as thin as Atlantiqua’s hair, so easily breakable. In the middle the nectar blades had grown to a good size, curling at the top and looking as beautiful as possible. 

It was one of the most gorgeous plants Eren had ever seen, there was no doubt.

When he did not answer, Prince Levi’s hand shook for a second as if it was hard to keep ahold of the flower. “I found it in a local abyssal gap. And I thought you might like it.” He averted his gaze, before he tensed and furrowed his eyebrows, however without trying to maintain eye contact again. “Because you’re from Ceanuri, I mean. You meople like flowers, right? That’s what I’ve been told.” 

For some reason, the Ceanurean Prince felt more than delighted to see the crown prince of Eamora act this way.   
So flustered… 

What a considerate gift. 

There was no way Eren would let this opportunity slide. “So you asked what my meople like?”, he teased him with an amused grin and let his fintail snap against Levi’s upper body to let him know he was just joking. 

Suddenly Levi was on him again, just like when they first met, strong arms supporting himself as he hovered over Eren. “Do you accept my gift or not?”, he growled in an annoyed manner, but there was no real danger. He was not facing him directly, he was slightly baring his neck; nevertheless he was clearly trying to assert dominance in some form. 

“What if I don’t? Will you bring me more gifts?”, Eren asked and continued, before Levi could bare his teeth in frustration at his response, “If that is the case, I don’t accept it.”

This left the Eamorean prince more than puzzled and he could not quite pull the string through the pearls. He wanted to glide back down into the water, but Eren pulled him onto the rocks, next to himself. “Stay here”, he pleaded. “I dislike looking down to talk to you.”

Prince Levi shifted to find a more comfortable sitting position and during this action, his dirty blue fin rubbed against Eren’s by accident, yet both shivered in response. 

This might not be as he had imagined, but Eren accepted everything he could get. He would like to enjoy it as long as he could.

  
  


-x-

  
  


Prince Levi didn’t understand a single thing.

Eren’s language was a mystery to him. 

Did he accept the flower now or did he not? He wanted to get more gifts, so this gift was clearly well appreciated, right?

Neither of them voiced their feelings. Not that there was anything to be voiced, but there was a whale in the castle.

There was no label for what Levi experienced. It was not love, it was not attraction. It was as though there was a force pulling him towards Eren. 

He was not controlling himself, it was more as if he watched himself do all of this. 

When had he started to not think with his head but with his gut?  
  
Levi took a closer look at the flower, before he examined the Ceanurean prince’s wavy hair. Not waiting for consent, he brushed a lock behind his ear and pushed the flower with the stem there as well. 

A pinkish color crept from the tip of the pointy ears down to Eren’s neck where his green gills were and Levi could not have felt prouder to see the merman wear his gift. 

His blue claws had scratched Eren’s temple, but when he made an attempt to inspect it with soft fingertips, a tan hand had already placed itself there and suddenly there were touching each other’s hands and Levi felt like he was being carried by millions of angel fish.

“That’s quite inappropriate,” Prince Eren whispered when Levi made no attempt to remove his hand. “Do you not want to apologize?” Oh, that teasing tone. 

“It would be dishonest of me to apologize,” the merman responded as he stared into those eyes, so deep and sparkling. They reminded him of those objects he would sometimes find in the middle of nowhere. They came from those living on land.

Eren spread his digits and suddenly without any real effort, their fingers were intertwined.

It was a weird sight, because the merman next to him had no claws at all, only short, pathetic nails, while Levi’s were sharp, dark blue and long. 

There was nothing they could talk about, really. They had spent several mornings or evenings together, some in silence, some discussing their differences and opinions.

And yet… they were communicating on another level. Their souls felt connected. Atlantiqua must have blessed their bond.

“I will have to depart when the next morning arrives. My presence is needed in Eamori,” Levi informed Eren and placed their hands on the rock. 

“So this was a goodbye gift?”, the Ceanurean Prince questioned when he gestured towards the flower, but he was granted no response.

“For now, yes.” 

For now. How foolish of him to say something like this. It revealed too much. It could be useful information for a kingdom that he was not part of, but when Eren sensed his discomfort, he gently squeezed his hand. 

What an intimate gesture.

“Let us meet again tonight. When the full moon is in her full grace in the middle of the sky”, Eren requested eagerly and Levi felt himself unable to decline.

  
  


-x-

  
  


It was night again and the white body shone bright, and it was not the first time that Prince Levi’s palm were wrinkled before a meeting with Prince Eren. 

He had often thought about what they had discussed. Most of their political views were the same, they strived for a reduced fish consumption and would like to change the justice system. They disliked their mother’s sentences over criminals, both would like more justice.

While Eren wanted to support the entertainers, the dancers and the musicians more, Levi wanted to build a free market, but both agreed that the other’s goal was important in a society as well. 

Prince Eren sped through the water and frightened his friend who had been daydreaming under the night sky. “Have been waiting for long?”, he asked when he broke through the surface and threw a content smile at Levi. He looked so beautiful, the almost translucent skin seemed to glow in the moon’s shy gloom.

“Not for very long,” the Eamorean prince lied politely and could not help but reflect Eren’s shameless staring. 

His gills were shaking and his chest rose and sank faster than usual. 

“You will leave tonight?”, the Ceanurean asked and moved closer to Levi, their fins touched ever so slightly while they moved in order to stay afloat. It was easier to talk above the surface as they did not need to rely so much on their body language which differed in both kingdoms. 

Prince Levi nodded slowly and his crown glittered in the white light. “I think it is impossible for us to see each other again after this. But I would like to show my gratitude for entertaining me during my stay.” It was a reluctant motion, but he nudged Eren’s arm with his knuckles and when the tan hand reached for his, he gave him a little pendant. 

Eren’s features expressed how surprised he was, yet his cheeks and neck demonstrated how flattered he was. 

“That… thing is not pretty. I know that myself. My folk is known for crafting jewelry. See it as a… ah, how do you Ceanureans call it, souvenir? For not being a shitty person or something”, Levi mumbled after turning his head to the side. 

“Wait, are you telling me, you made this?”, he asked with eyes, green and big, still observing the piece of jewelry. 

After a pause, the Eamorean nodded somewhat shy. “It’s not high-quality in any way… I was never that skilled-”

“I love it”, Eren interrupted him and pressed the gift to his chest. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

Prince Levi took in the sight of the merman appreciating his effort and his heart skipped a beat or maybe even two. “You’re welcome.”

“Can I show you my gratitude as well? It was…” Eren had a hard time looking for the correct expression. “It was a pleasure spending time with you. As you know, I am somewhat… forced to stay in the castle, but sneaking away was worth it.”

Both were taken aback when he just hugged Levi - a very intimate gesture for both of them, as it involved a great amount of body contact - and they could hear the blood pumping through their veins. 

  
“Thank you, Prince Levi,” Eren whispered in the sweetest, most thankful voice and it was indeed shaking, but that was for another reason.

They had eye contact and their scents mixed, making both of them feel dizzy.

“I wish it did not have to be this way,” Prince Eren purred, suddenly devastated and craving, and Levi could not do more but to nod, agreeing with him, although he wished he could weed out their negative emotions.

The silent confession was enough to cause them to stir in nervosity and they parted, they knew that no matter what, it was as unlikely as impossible. 

For the following moments they remained quiet, the shallow black waves’ rushing spiraled into their ears. For the longest moments they watched the moon stand still, while the time for them stood still as well.

Prince Eren glanced over to the other merman. He had never found somebody this attractive, and Levi was appearing somewhat scary. Yet he was able to look past his appearance. Past the scary outside. Past his nature, his culture, his folk’s history.

And he was so much more than a dangerous, siren. 

Eren attached the pendant to his necklace where the key was and Levi watched him do so. “Gold suits you well”, he remarked and his ear twitched.

Somebody was coming closer. 

Two meople from opposite direction. 

And then, suddenly, “Brother!” 

A deep, growl emerged from nothingness and Levi bared his teeth when he and Eren sank into the water.

Eren tried to stop the body, but it slammed against the Eamorean without remorse.

And then, another merson clashed into the mess, a mermaid with orange hair. 

“Stop!”, Eren demanded and tried to pull his brother away from the sirens who defended themselves. Although they were clearly the ones with an advantage, they kept themselves civil and only dodged the Cenurean’s attacks. Petra however had enough and pulled Levi away from the merman, scratching over his chest and pushing him away to protect her prince.

  
“Petra, let it go”, Levi barked when Eren managed to get a grip on Zeke’s fintail and swam in front of his guardian. 

“He was attacking you!”, she screeched, her fangs had grown slightly. “You are not to be hurt at any costs.” She tried to swim past him, but Levi did not let her do so.

“I was attacking him, because this is not his - or your - territory. This is Ceanuri. You crossed the border. And you are not allowed to interact with my brother”, Prince Zeke hissed and build himself up like a wall in front of Eren who was not pleased at all.

“What are you doing here, brother?”, he asked in disbelief at the current situation.

“I saw you sneaking out. We wanted to talk about your friend. And apparently I had the displeasure of meeting your _ friend _. The crown prince of Eamora”, Zeke spat out and never broke eye contact with the Eamoreans as he swam backwards with his brother. “What are your intentions, siren? Were you trying to seduce him?”

Petra was ready to shoot towards and slice Zeke open with he claws, how could anybody disrespect the prince like that? “He would never do something like that! I think it is obvious that your little brother tried to seduce him with his singing. What else would he be doing here, so close to Bailara?”

Levi turned his head to the side, gave his guardian a stern glance. “Keep it to yourself”, he growled and when he looked back, the Ceanureans were far away.  
  


-x-

  
  


“Explain this to me, Eren,” Zeke hissed when they were far enough away, when they were safe. 

But Prince Eren had none of it. “Why should I? It does not matter what I say. Not only did I just lose my friend, I also lost someone who-” He stopped in his tracks and grabbed the pendant Levi had crafted for him. 

_ Someone who was more than dear to him. _

“What is that?” 

When his brother made a move to take ahold of the gift, Eren scooted away. It was his treasure, only for himself. “Nothing.”

  
Yet Zeke was stronger than his brother and it was almost easy for him to rip it off the necklace, breaking it where it had been attached. He observed it, madness dwelled up in his eyes. “Eamorean jewelry?” And suddenly, it all made sense. “He tried to court you”, Zeke mumbled in disbelief. 

Prince Eren turned red, however he shook his head feverishly to deny the accusation. “No, he did not!”

_ Did he? _

His gut felt funny and for some reason, he was happy, he felt as light as a jellyfish. 

“How else do you explain this to me then?” Zeke’s face fell in disappointment. “I thought you were smarter than that, brother. I shall inform mother and father about this. They need to know.”

Horrified of that idea, Eren hugged his brother. “Please, no. Do not tell them about this. It was not him- it was me. I tried to court him.” 

It was not a complete lie, if he was honest with himself.

Levi had proved himself to be a precious partner. A partner who could protect. A partner with values. And a partner who presented him gifts. 

Alone the image of the merman in his head was enough for Eren to hear the blood pump through his ears. 

“You tried to court the Eamorean crown prince?”, Zeke whispered in disbelief. “Is that true?”

Eren nodded and gulped. “I sang and I enchanted him.”

“I… I must not tell our parents about this. They would…” The merman shook his head and hugged his brother, pressing him against himself. “I am sorry, brother. I misunderstood it all.”

_ O Atlantiqua… _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!! Comments and kudos are appreciated <3


End file.
